Sewing-machine needle threader



Jan. 10, 1950 w, LYLE 2,494,444

SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE THREADER Filed Dec. 20, 1947 IN VEN TOR.

ATTURN Fatentecl Jan. 10, 1950 vUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEWING-MACHINE NEEnLE THREADER William S. Lyle, San Francisco, Calif. Application December 20, 1947, Serial o. 792,955

This invention relates to an improved sewing machine needle threading device and has for the primary object the provision of means on a sew'-. ing machine for facilitating the threading of the needle.

It is a well known fact in the art of sewing that threading the needle is a tedious and difiicult task, requiring a considerable amount of time and labor, and for persons having poor vision it is practically an impossible work for them to accomplish.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved inwardly tapered guide for guiding the thread to the eye of the needle and the further provision of means for vertically adjusting the guide or needle to a position where the eye in the needle and outlet of the guide are in true alignment.

' A further object of the present invention is the provision of a novel means for indicating when the outlet of the guide and eye in the needle are in true alignment on a vertical plane.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a substantially V or W shaped Vertical slot through the outer end of the guide, which slot is capable of receiving the needle for defining the correct position of the guide on a horizontal plane when it is desired to thread the needle.

A still further object of the present invention is to preferably form the guide open at the top end thereof and to provide a resilient cover over the top, whereby the thread can be readily removed from the guide after the threading of the needle has been accomplished.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a sewing machine needle threading device of the character described that is durable, simple in construction, economical to manufacture, positive in operation, and highly efiicient and serviceable in use.

Other objects and advantages Will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification, wherein for the purpose of illustration like numerals designate like parts throughout the various views,

Fig. 1 is an end elevational view of one type of sewing machine head and illustrating the improved needle threading device positioned there- Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the thread guide and needle on line 22 of Fig. 1, the portions of the sewing machine head being shown in elevation,

1 Claim. (01. 112-225) Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the needle threading device,

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the threading device and also showing in dot and dash lines how it can be swung away from the needle holding shaft,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged central vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the guide, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional plan view of the guide taken on line 66 of Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the drawing and the different parts thereof the numeral 1 designates the body of the device, as a whole, which body is formed with an upper vertical cylindrical portion 8 apertured as at 9 to pivotally lit the vertical sha ft I I of the sewing machine head and is locked thereto by a suitable screw [0. The said shaft carries the foot I2 as disclosed to advantage in Fig. 1,'the said foot being retained on the end of the shaft I! by a suitable bolt [3. An arm I 4 horizontally extends a short distance from the said upper cylindrical portion 8 and then extends downwardly as at I5 to a foot portion [6. The thread guide I! is formed across the said foot portion as shown to advantage in Fig. 4. The said guide is formed with inwardly tapered walls l8 that terminate into a straight outlet 19 as disclosed in Fig. 6. The guide is preferably open at the top, which top tapers downwardly toward the outlet as at 20 and is covered with a thin flat spring member 2| as shown in Fig. 5. The inner end portion of the flat spring cover is preferably soldered to the lower vertical arm [5 of the device and projects in a slot 22 provided in the said arm as shown in Fig. 3, whereby the outer end portion of the spring cover is free to raise for enabling the thread in the guide to be quickly removed after the threading of the needle has been accomplished.

The needle is designated by the numeral 23, having an eye 24, and is positioned in the vertical shaft 25 and rigidly secured therein by a suitable nut 26, the said shaft being reciprocated by the lever arm 27, all of which parts are embodied in a conventional sewing machine .well known in the art. In the operation of the sewing machine the lever 21 reciprocates the shaft 25, which shaft carries the needle 23. The rear cylindrical portion of the threading device is apertured as at 9 and is pivotally mounted on the vertical shaft llv of the sewing machine and the front end portion of the guide is formed with a specially constructed slot, which slot is substantially V-shaped and is formed with pointed projections 33 that are adapted to fit and engage 3 the needle 23 as disclosed to advantage in Fig. 6, the said slot being capable of being swung in vertical alignment with the said needle. The preferred means for horizontally aligning the guide outlet 19 with the needle eye 24 is shown as comprising an arrow shaped indicator 28 provided on the body 29, which body is secured to the cross head guide 35 of the sewing machine by suitable screws 30 as shown in Fig. 1. Theneedle holding shaft 25 is marked with an arrow as at 3i to indicate when the needle eye 24 is in alignment with the guide. As previously stated the needle shaft 25 is reciprocated by the lever 21. The said lever can thus be manipulated to raise or lower the said needle shaft 25 to a position where the arrow 28 will align, with the arrow 3! as shown in Fig. 1, and in which position the outlet [9 of the guide I! will be intrue alignment with the needle outlet 24 as shown to advantage in Fig.2.

From the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing it will be obvious that when the guide outlet I9 is aligned with the needle eye 24 the thread .32, shown in dotted lines, can readily be placed through the. needle. After the needle is threaded the thread can easily be removed by pulling the same be.- tween the fiat springmember 2i and the top 20 of the guide and the threading device can be swung out of the way as shown by the dot and dash outline in Fig. 4.

Although the present device is specially constructed to be used in conjunction with a sewing machine for threading the needles thereof the same principle can be employed for threading hand operative needles if desired. The construction of the device can also be changed in any suitable manner to suit the particular sewing ma.-

chine employed and can be placed on the sewing-- machine plate 33 and moved against the needle if desired.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be a, vertical reciprocating shaft carrying a needle with an eye inthelower portion thereof, a needle threading device comprising a body, means pivotally securing the said body to the sewing machine, an angular vertical slot in one end of the body-capable of vertically aligning with and slid- -ably receiving the said needle, an inwardly tapered thread guide horizontally leading into the said slo and tena e of a nin h t eye inthe needle, and an indicator positioned on the sewing machine above the guide to indicate when the saidguide and needle eye are in horizontal alignment, said tapered thread guide being open at the top extremity thereof, a resilient coverprovided over the top open portion of the guide, the said resilient cover beingfree to open along one side thereof for facilitating the removing of the thread from theguide.

WILLIAM S. LYLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

